Improvement in breast-collars for harness



H. B. MORRISON. Breast-Collars for Harness. N0.'138,039. -PatentedApril22,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIBAM B. MORRISON, or LE nor, new YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREAST-COLLARS FOR HARNESS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No, 138,039, dated April 22, 1873; application filed December 19,1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM B. MORRISON, of Le Boy, in the county of Genesee and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Breast-Collars of Harness, of which the following is a specification:

My invention belongs to that class where a bend is made in the front of the breast-collar for the purpose of preventing pressure on the horses wind-pipe; and it consists in the com bination with the collar of two clamp-plates united by a screw, and clamping the leather between them, as hereinafter described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a breast-collar with my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the parts separated.

A represents the breast-collar, and B the neck or shoulder straps which support it. 0 is the inner and D the outer clamping-plate, and E the screw that unites them. These plates are made from pieces of sheet metal or band-iron cut of proper form, and stamped or struck up in form preferably with a corrugation standing outward to strengthen the device, and to allow the binding-strap c to run under; or they may be made of cast-iron, brass, or other material, in the same way. They are bent outward, as shown at a, sufficiently to throw the bearing of the collar away from the horses wind-pipe so as not to interfere with his respiration. The ends I) are beveled or thinned off to a sharp edge so as to fit the leather smoothly, and if desired they may be padded or covered with leather so as to present a finished surface, and also to present a smooth contact to the horses breast.

I am aware that bent irons have before been sewed or otherwise secured in a breast-collar for the purpose of throwing the contact away from the horses wind-pipe. Mine is superior to all that I have ever seen, inasmuch as it is portable and can be applied to old harness as well as new, and in a few moments time. All

that is necessary in applying it is simply to place the clamping-plates on opposite sides of the leather, and apply the screw to draw them together, when the leather will assume the bent form of the plates, and the whole work is complete. It gives a stiff brace on both sides with the leather inclosed between, but at the same time does not impair the flexibility and softness of the breast-collar, each, side of the center, where the great draft is applied from the horses shoulders. The construction is so simple, and it is so easily applied, that any one can use it without trouble, which is not the case with other devices with which I am acquainted.

I make the screw answer a double purpose by forming its head into a loop, 1), which receives the martingale.

As a modification of the above plan two edge-plates may be used, resting on the top and bottom of the leather, and united by rivets, the leather passing inside of the end rivets and outside the center one to produce the de sired bend; or the clamping device may be made of a double thickness, hollow in the interior, for the passage of leather, being made of sheet metal either entire or with open-work.

Having thus described my invention, I do not claim, broadly, giving a bend to the breastcollar to remove the contact from the horses wind-pipe; nor do I claim, broadly, inserting a bent iron in the collar for that purpose; but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-- The combination of the two clamping-plates G D, situated on opposite sides of a breastcollar, and united by a screw, or equivalent, when the same form a portable attachment, and is otherwise constructed and arranged as herein described.

H. B. MORRISON,

Witnesses u E. F. Oseoon,

ARCHIE BAINE. 

